Cancer vaccine - U-turn very welcome

IT is a cause for relief that a scheme offering cervical cancer vaccines to young girls is to be established.

Two years ago the programme was shelved on grounds of an estimated cost of €16 million. Yesterday Health Minister Mary Harney pointed out that, after negotiations with drug companies, the new scheme will cost just €3m. This is a considerable achievement and all involved are to be congratulated.

A wrong has been put right, but an obvious question now arises. If drug companies can be forced to cut prices by nearly 80% on one scheme is there the potential to make similar, even vaguely similar, savings in other schemes?